salvage

The word “salvage” means the rescue of a ship, its cargo, or other property from damage or loss, or the property recovered this way. In plain terms, to recover or rescue something (often from a wreck, disaster, or failure) that would otherwise be lost.

“Salvage” is pronounced SAL-vihj (/ˈsælvɪd͡ʒ/ in IPA).

Here is “salvage” used in a sentence: “The salvage crew spent weeks recovering cargo from the sunken freighter.”

Depending on how it is used, “salvage” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “salvage” comes from Latin. From Old French sauver, "to save," ultimately from Latin salvus, "safe" — with the ending "-age" added in English.

“Salvage” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

“Salvage” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the rescue of a ship, its cargo, or other property from damage or loss, or the property recovered this way.

Salvage means to rescue something from damage, loss, or failure, or to make use of what can still be saved, often implying the item was at risk of being lost entirely. Recycle specifically means processing used materials so they can be made into new products, which is a narrower, more systematic process than general salvage.

A salvage title is issued to a vehicle that an insurance company has declared a total loss, often after significant damage, but which has since been repaired or is being sold for parts or repair. The term draws on the core sense of salvage as rescuing property from damage or loss.

Yes, salvage can describe rescuing non-physical things as well, such as salvaging a relationship, a reputation, or a failing project. In these cases, it means recovering something valuable from a situation that was heading toward failure or loss.